Indundation of water and three suns and a shower of blood. January, 1467.
The Croyland Chronicle is well known for its commentary on political and military events during the era of the Wars of the Roses. Besides the monasteries views on national affairs, was a rather more typical account of ‘normality’ and the day to day existence of the monks and lay folk in and around the Abbey at Croyland. Some, is rather mundane. Other extracts are a little more colourful in their descriptions. For example, this description of inclement weather in January 1467 which makes the situation seem to have been bordering on biblical proportions.
In the year also from the Incarnation of our Lord, 1467, in the month of January there was so great an inundation of the waters, by reason of the snows and continued rains, that no man living in our times could recall to mind the like. Throughout the whole of this county, and in Croyland especially, there was scarcely a house or building, but what the streams of water made their way and flowed through it. For must you suppose that this happened hurriedly and in a cursory manner only: but continuously, during a whole month, the waters either stood there without flowing off, or else, being agitated by strong gusts of wind, swelled and increased still more and more day after day.
For on this occasion did the embaukments offer any effectual resistance, but, on the contrary, though materials had been brought from other quarters for the purpose of strengthening them, they proved of very little Service for that purpose; and, however diligently the work might have been attended to in the day time, as the waters swelled and rose, the spot under repair was completely laid bare during the night. Then was there grief and lamentation among all, and outcries and tumult among the Croylanders. In the meantime, prayers were put up to God in behalf of the Church, and daily processions were formed for the purpose of obtaining more propitious weather.
In the same year also, there were shown certain wondrous signs in England; and in divers [several] places there appeared unto many persons, terrible prognostics, replete with, no better auspices. For, one day, there were seen in the heavens three suns, and a shower of blood; as the grass and the linen clothes stamed therewith, abundantly testified to all beholders. This latter came down in manner just like a gentle shower. Besides this, horsemen and men in armour were seen rushing through the air; so much so, that Saint George himself, conspicuous with the red cross, his usual ensign, and attended by a vast body of armed men, appeared visibly to great numbers. To show that we ought not to refuse our belief to what has been just mentioned, those persons, to whom revelations of this nature were made, were subjected to a most strict examination before the venerable father Thomas, the lord archbishop of Canterbury. A certain woman too, in the county of Huntingdon, who was with child and near the time of her delivery, to her extreme horror, felt the embryo in her womb weeping as it were and uttering a kind of sobbing noise. The same was also heard by some other women, who were surprised in no slight degree thereat. This we know to have happened but seldom indeed, although we read that the most holy forerunner of our Lord, through joy at our approaching salvation, leaped in the womb of his mother. We may, however, not without very fair reason, suppose, that now possibly, under circumstances directly the reverse, even the children unborn deplored our impending calamities, upon the approach of the scourge of Divine vengeance, our sins requiring the same.
Featured Image
The image used illustrates the 1421 St. Elizabeth’s Flood which caused widespread devastation in Holland. That flood is ranked as the 20th worst flood of all time and caused damage across large parts of the Low Countries.
Related Content
On 28 December 1471 Monks at Canterbury opened the doors of the Cathedral to pilgrims at night as a result of poor weather.